Anchoring means for radiator cores



Nev. 22, 1949 D. W. CHRISTENSEN ANCHORING MEANS FOR RADIATOR CORES FiledNov. 10, 1944 INVENTOR. DONALD w CHR/ TE/YSEN A rrops Y Patented Nov.22, i949 2,488,804 I ANCHORING MEANS FOR RADIATOR CORES Donald W.Christensen,

Young Radiator Comp pany of Wisconsin Racine, Wis., assignor to any,Racine, Wis., a com- Application November 10, 1944, Serial No. 562,879

1 Claim. 1

The present invention relates to means for anchoring a cooling coreintermediate its ends to its surrounding frame, the type usually beingcalled automotive type radiators, particularly the larger sizes whereinharmful transverse vibrations may cause fracturing of the tubes at thepoint where they enter the tube plates.

In liquid cooling radiators of the class a fractured tube is a seriousmatter and difiicult or impossible to repair. I therefore provide verysimple means for anchoring the core intermediate its ends to the sidemembers of the radiator frame, so as to prevent harmful vibration andalso provide a means which is easily adjusted after the core has beenassembled into the frame.

An important object of the present invention is to provide anchoringmeans of the character described which does not need a connection to thecore except contact with the ends of a large number of fins so that thefins, which are very thin and delicate, cannot be injured by theircontact with the anchoring means.

Another important object of my invention is to provide preferably twowedge shaped wood blocks of a suitable length and means whereby theblocks may be adjusted for suitable pressure against a large number offin edges without danger of injury and without metallic contact with thefins.

,One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a large areacontact with the fins by the use preferably of wood blocks which willyieldingly contact the individual ends of the fins so that all of thefins may find lodgment in the Wood.

Generally stated objects of my invention are to provide a device of thecharacter which is simple, easily manufactured at low cost, eflicientand easily assembled into position and disassembled.

To these and other useful ends my invention consists of parts,combinations of parts ortheir equivalents as hereinafter described andclaimed and shown in the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a fractional perspective view of my invention as applied to aconventional radiator.

Fig. 2 is a section taken on line 2-2 of Figure 1 through the coreanchoring means and one side of the frame.

Fig. 3 is a fractional sectional view similar to Figure 2, but of amodification.

In the drawings I designate the frame by reference character A and thecore by reference character B. Member B comprises the usual bottom andtop headers which are operatively connected together by a large numberof tubes l0, these tubes being spaced about as shown and are flattenedto a shape about as shown. Tubes 10 extend through a multiplicity ofclosely spaced fins H. Core B is adapted to be surrounded by a frame,the side members of which are designated by reference numeral l2. Thebottom of the frame I3 generally acts as a header cap for the core inwhich case the tube plate l4 lies on the upper face of member l3 andunder the under face of member l2 and having a gasket (not shown)between members l3 and M. The upper header may be formed similar to thelower header wherein there are two members I2 for the sides of the frameand a member l3 for the bottom of the frame and another member (notshown)' somewhat similar to member l3'but inverted and being secured tothe side members l2 similar to member l3.

In radiators of the class it is customary to provide a shroud for thefan. In Figure 1 a shroud is designated by numeral l5. tion of thecircular opening for the fan is designated by numeral Hi. The fan andshroud are usually positioned in rear of the radiator, automobile andtruck style.

Tubes ill have very thin walls which are made of a composition ofcopper. The fins are very thin and therefor especially when filled witha cooling compound. Cores of the type may be from 28 to 48 inches high.It will therefore be seen that the core between headers may oscillatesideways, largely because of weight and length. This oscillation willnot be greatly resisted by the tubes because of their shape andposition.

Clearly transverse vibrations set up by engine vibrations or vibrationscaused by the travel of the vehicle over rough roadways will soon causetubes to fracture at the .point where they enter tube plate l4. Sidemembers A are, because of their shape, very rigid. I therefore interposeabout midway the core my improved anchoring means as follows:

Vertically disposed inwardly extending flanges 20 are provided onmembers i2 and positioned relative to core B as shown in Figure 2. Ahorizon-tally disposed inwardly extending flange 2| is provided. Iprovide a wedge shaped wood block 22 and another wedge shaped wood block23 and position them as illustrated in Figure 2, the rear of block 22resting against flange 20. The bottom of these blocks rest on flange 2|.

I provide metal contact blocks 24 for contact with the ends of adjustingscrews 25, which are screw threaded into a flange 26 and held into Afracthe core is' frail but heavy adjusted position by nuts 21. Thusafter core B is assembled into the frame, blocks 22 and 23 arepositioned as shown on' opposite sides of the core and wedge u is movedforward by means of screw 25 to thereby firmly anchor the core betweenside members I! of the frame.

It will be understood that any suitable material may be used in place orwood and that the blocks may not be made of the same material. It'isdesirable, however to make block 22 of wood or a material of s'inilarcharacteristics. Block 23 is preferably made of wood or a material whichhas similar characteristics.

Referring now to Figure 3; core B will be in the same relative positionto the side frame members as in the other figures. In this instant,however, the side frame members are designated by reference numeral 30,having formed thereon angled portions 3|. Wood blocks 32 are providedand fit between members B and 31 as illustrated, the blocks havingplates 26 adapted to be contacted by screws 25 which is threaded intoflange 26-, the bolts having nuts 21. Thus blocks 32 may be movedforward by screws 25 so as to snugly anchor core B between the sidemembers of the frame. In this design flanges 33 which are similar toflange 2|, shown in Figure 2, are provided to support and position the Vblocks 32. One of these flanges may be positioned at the top of the Vblocks if necessary.

It will be seen that my improved anchoring means is easily manufacturedat low cost and can be easily applied to the radiator and adjusted so atto effectively prevent transverse vibration of the center of the corerelative to the headers or frame; that the device is simple and can beeasily adjusted by any one of ordinary intelligence.

Clearly many minor detail changes may be made in the design shownwithout departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as recitedin the appended claim.

Having thus shown and described my invention I claim:

A radiator of the character described comprising in combination. avertically arranged vertically elongated frame having side bars and I.heat exchange core therein, said core comprising a number of verticallypositioned tubes and a multiplicity of closely spacedfins through whichthe tubes extend with the ends of the fins in substantial verticalalignment and spaced a short distance from the adjacent side bars of theframe, vertically elongated pairs of wood wedges with their adjacentsides in contact and the outer sides in parallel relation and positionedbetween the ends of a large number of fins and the adiacent side bars ofthe frame, a stop on said side bars against which the wide side of theinner wedges rest, screw threaded means anchored to said side barshaving contact with the wide sides of the outer wedges, whereby the pairof wedges may be used for snugly anchoring the core between said sidebars and whereby the fins in contact with the inner wedges of the pairsof wedges will when under pressure indent the wedges forming a definiteanchor against vertical movement of the ends of the fins.

DONALD W. CHRISTENSEN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 301,157 Rasck July 1, 18841,401,164 Lohn Dec. 27, 1921 1,463,406 Serrell et al July 31, 19231,987,726 Wilkerson et al. Jan. 15, 1935 1,998,112 Young Apr. 16, 19352,004,264 Wyrick June 11, 1935 2,058,935 Young Oct. 27, 1936 2,355,192Wachsmann et al. Aug. 8, 1944

